Isaiah Gadd was a native of Newland in Gloucestershire and came to Wokingham in the early 1860s working as a draper with Heelas, Sons & Co. He joined the Wesleyan Chapel in Rose Street and soon became one of the trustees charged with replacing the barn chapel which stood on the site of the present Methodist Church and Centre.
In 1867 he married the Wesleyan harmonium player Mary Isabella and they moved into “St Mary’s” at N0. 26, Rose Street.
Isaiah purchased the coal business of Watts & Cook in 1882 which became Isaiah Gadd & Co. with premises near the top of Station Road.
The company flourished and the building was renamed St. Paul’s Office. This name and “Gadd” can be seen in the existing building (C.C.F Mobility).
Isaiah branched out into the house removal business in the late 1890s for which he had a number of horse drawn removal vans that were stored in sheds in the area later occupied by the Marks’s and Spencer car park. He expanded by building a depository at the junction of Finchampstead and Carey Road.
Isaiah then acquired the “Old Curiosity Shop”, an established antique and modern furniture shop in Broad Street which stood side by side with his coal and coke office at 4-6 Broad Street.
Isaiah replaced his horse drawn wagons with steam engines..
Isaiah had three houses built next to his home one named Wesley House and another St John of Epworth (birth place of John Charles Wesley, founder of Methodism). Isaiah’s initials can be seen below the upper windows of both houses.
In 1887 Isaiah purchased Montague House in Broad Street which he let to various people before it was eventually sold to Lady Lydia Blain in 1918.
Isaiah also owned Wingmore Lodge which stands outside Old Row Court. Originally a game keeper’s lodge in Windsor Great Park it was a good look out post for spotting poachers.
Isaiah maintained a close involvement with the Methodists such that some inhabitants referred to the chapel as Gadd’s Chappel.
Isaiah remained managing director of the company until 1912 and the following year it was declared to be insolvent.
After a short illness, he died at the age of 71 on the 27th of November 1913. A plaque to memories of Isaiah and his wife was placed in the chapel shortly afterwards.
The company was broken up and sold off. Ernie Reeves, a former manager of the company, in Partnership with a Mr. Vale took over the removal business, which grew to be one of the biggest in the south of England. After Ernie died the company was eventually acquired by Bishop’s Move.
Wokingham Town Museum Unique Identifier: WTH0330